Dong Zhou wrote: Calls for the board to not get any more money, May says there seems to be agreements on private sector contracts, May dodges around the question but says they are trying to get answers into board fastracked, May makes point that it isn't government job to manage company but is a customer (referring to an earlier Corbyn point) and government ensures there was no public money bailout.

I thought this was Corbyn's best point. It was really the only time that I sat up and nodded with a major ideological point either side made. I do think there should be heavier sanctions on directors that run companies in to the ground, even if they leave beforehand. They get a lot more money so it's only fair there is more risk involved.

Dong Zhou wrote: Calls for the board to not get any more money, May says there seems to be agreements on private sector contracts, May dodges around the question but says they are trying to get answers into board fastracked, May makes point that it isn't government job to manage company but is a customer (referring to an earlier Corbyn point) and government ensures there was no public money bailout.

I thought this was Corbyn's best point. It was really the only time that I sat up and nodded with a major ideological point either side made. I do think there should be heavier sanctions on directors that run companies in to the ground, even if they leave beforehand. They get a lot more money so it's only fair there is more risk involved.

I get that starting a business and even running it is a risk so the law provides some finical protection but running a major business into ground, let alone what Carillon bosses did with bonuses and so on when firm was in deep trouble, they should not be protected from having funds "clawed back"

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-Government promises an extra £44.5m on Channel border points (with heavy rumours she has agreed to take more of the migrants) and first meeting of the heads of Britain and France's five intelligence agencies, Uk-French defence ministerial council established. President Macron warm about relations with UK even after Brexit but does warns if we leave single market (he says "be my guest" we have to pay and keep to rules if we wish to stay) then we can't have as good access to finical markets of Europe

-National Audit Office says we owe £199bn on PFI deals and questions if they are a better deal then what went on before

-Welsh Assembly has rebuked Alan Cairns for refusing to appear before their finance committee since 2016 despite multiple invites and even offer to video conference

-Youguv poll gives SNP tax rises clear public support

- Fiona Onasanya and Stephanie Peacock made Labour whips, both MP's since last year

-Gauke sworn in as Lord Chancellor

-Leadsom only giving what to do about repairs to Palace of Westminster half day debate on Jan 31st and giving two options, first one delays the decision till 2022 and the alternative is "early next decade" with another committee looking at decant option.

-Sturgeon says Scottish Tories have not a single backbone between them over their Brexit bill stance

-Sir John Armitt given charge of infrastructure commission, was deputy chair, chief executive of Network Rail, president of the Institution of Civil Engineers and chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority so I don't think anyone could claim cronyism.

-Bradley starts new talks next week but says it is last chance, indicates she is willing to set a budget and cut Stormont pay and she isn't willing to impose a referendum on gay marriage

-Government sets up Carillion taskforce

-Boris hints he wants a Channel Tunnel for cars

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-Umunna questioning if Swayne should remain as MP due to sleeping feels a bit of a low blow and will go down badly

-David Davies chief of staff Stewart Jackson indicates he won't run as an MP again

-IDS sees the Calais money as a bung as do Mail and the Sun

-Ben Bradley apologises for other blog posts: encouraging police brutality during London riots and backing relocation of those that don't work

-Perhaps frustrated at having their last two chairs taken to Brexit department minsterial ranks, European Research Group made Rees-Mogg their chair. Number 10 will be worried that a hard-line Brexiteer is in charge of a powerful Brexit group in the Tory ranks

“You, are a rebellious son who abandoned his father. You are a cruel brigand who murdered his lord. How can Heaven and Earth put up with you for long? And unless you die soon, how can you face the sight of men?”

-Public Accounts Committee warns defence budgets are very strained and if jet/aircraft carrier projects go over budget then there is trouble

-Nus Ghani is the first female Muslim minister to speak from dispatch box.

- Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee not happy they were sent Christmas biscuits by 2 Sisters Food Group when under investigation on food standards, the company sends they sent out a lot of Christmas gifts

-Retail fell by more then expected in December, falling by 1.5% probably due to squeezed living standards and spending shifting to Black Friday in November. The retail growth for the year was 1.9%, the lowest for four years

-Works and Pension Committee writing to authorities about Carillon pensions

“You, are a rebellious son who abandoned his father. You are a cruel brigand who murdered his lord. How can Heaven and Earth put up with you for long? And unless you die soon, how can you face the sight of men?”

There is a timidity and lack of ambition about Mrs May's Government which means it constantly disappoints. Time to raise your game, Prime Minister. #worboys #HousingCrisis #NHSfunding #etcetc

has got a lot of attention, partly due to the respect for Boles as a thinker, that he isn't a troublemaker but also the belief a lot of Tory MP's feel the same.

-Gauke won't launch a judicial inquiry in Worboys case after taking legal advice, sense among MP's seems to be they don't object to decision but they fear he got hopes up. Mayor Khan is trying for a judicial review

-Boris suggestion of a bridge across the Channel has not been met with huge respect even by his own side...

-President Macron wants a special deal between EU and UK but we can't have full access or cherry pick, takes selfie with May

-Government elects not to appeal High Court judgement over payments to people with mental health conditions.

-May to meet with Trump at Davos

-MP's delighted as Javid announces that if one builds houses next to a music venue, cost is the builders and not the music venue

-Jonathan Arnott, MEP for the North East of England, leaves UKIp saying he has no confidence in Bolton but not much more in potential successors, disliked the shift on religious and cultural issues, it's infighting as bad as the establishment he had joined to fight

-Farage denies claims heard by US House Intelligence Committee that he met with Assange multiple times

-Margot James should be rewarded by May for her passionate defence of Tories belief in NHS after having to deal with lies, rudeness and NHS paranoia of the Question Time audience

“You, are a rebellious son who abandoned his father. You are a cruel brigand who murdered his lord. How can Heaven and Earth put up with you for long? And unless you die soon, how can you face the sight of men?”

-May vows to stop abusive company bosses with things like fines for those that take money out of companies when company have pension troubles

-Government looking at extending blue badge scheme for "hidden disabilities" like autism and creating a Office for Product Safety and Standards

-Mary Lou McDonald the only candidate to replace Gerry Adams as Sinn Feinn president, will be their first women leader since Margaret Buckley's long spell ended in 1950. No paramilitary background which might help reach across, the former teacher has been in the Dali since 2011 for Dublin Central and in 2004 was their first MEP. BBC's Stephen Walker with a profile

-Gerry Addams says he stepped down as part of a ten year plan to regenerate the party, worried by toxic atmosphere in N.Ireland

-Boris says Trump should be welcomed to UK due to extraordinary ties with USA

-McDonnell says he would set out emergency budget for NHS like extra £5.1bn by raising the top-rate of tax. Thought he neatly skewered Marr's questions on Labour's PFI record and his own, he did alright about McVey but not enough to soothe things I suspect

====

-Reese-Mogg says freedom of movement must end on Brexit date and no payments till trade deal is done

“You, are a rebellious son who abandoned his father. You are a cruel brigand who murdered his lord. How can Heaven and Earth put up with you for long? And unless you die soon, how can you face the sight of men?”

-UKIP board vote unanimously no confidence in Henry Bolton. He is refusing to go so deputy Margot Parker (as has her assistant Mike Hookem) and immigration spokesperson John Bickley have resigned in protest while fears balloting members to force him out then holding leadership election could push UKIP into bankruptcy. As the day went on, more and more resigned, William Dartmouth from trade, Tim Aker from local government, David Kurten from education, Peter Whittle from London, David Spranson of pensions (been eight today, 12 if ones before today). Bolton says he will follow the steps in the UKIP constitution (though wants to propose a new one), says NEC has lost confidence of the members and needs reform, UKIP needs a clearout to end factionalism and backbiting. One founder of UKIP Alan Sked suggested it was time for party to be wound up

Plenty of jokes in media about how bad things for UKIP that first time one hears of their cabinet is when they resign on mass though I like this quip from FT's Henry Mance "The irony about Ukip is that they had a democratic leadership vote in September, and now they are trying to reverse the result. #BoltonMeansBolton"

-Head of the army General Sir Nick Carter, with Williamson's permission, warns they can't cope with Russia without more resources

-May's chief of staff Gavin Barwell believed to have said Tories can';t win on NHS so shouldn't focus on it

-Treasury Committee urges government to lift cap on how much councils can borrow for house building

-McDonnell's failure to offer full apology for McVey comments has not gone down well

-Tillerson confirms commitment to special relationship

-Hints talks of the need for "soft skills" to be learnt in school to help gain employment

-IMF raises global grwoth forecast but cuts UK to 1.5% from 1.6%. Which is a tad less the global growth predicted of 3.9%

===

-Baroness Chakrabarti says Labour would take hospital cleaning back into public sector though suggests BMW is probably better then public sector at creating police bikes

-Pidock praises the person on QT who accused Tories of privatizing NHS agenda, saying it showed in a Tory area even there people are suspicious. The questioning lady is a Labour activist and council candidate

-CBI wants to remain in customs union

-David Jones says Carwyn Jones is irresponsible for threatening to refuse consent on Brexit bill and should be more positive

-Lord Jim O'Neill says growth will be better then expected due to global growth and better growth in parts of the north, already doing better then expected

-Patel doesn't think May will be challenged as leader

-DUP's Brexit spokesperson Sammy Wilson says transition deal is membership of EU for a further two years and May should be honest about it

-UBS says it will implement Brexit contingency measures early this time

-Sir Soames "It really won’t be enough to get people to vote against The Corbini they must have really sound reasons to vote Conservative.We really need to get on with this#wherestheboldandbravesofaritsdulldulldull"

“You, are a rebellious son who abandoned his father. You are a cruel brigand who murdered his lord. How can Heaven and Earth put up with you for long? And unless you die soon, how can you face the sight of men?”

-Peter Jewell has resigned as Ukip’s justice spokesman, Jonathan Bullock from energy and Julia Reid as environment spokeswoman. Farage then hosts Bolton on LBC, Bolton indicates he could rekindle things with Marney in future and one of the texts had been altered by someone else but Bolton has got the backing of ex-leaders Farage and Diane James, Farage saying Bolton had been stupid in media handling over his lovelife but he supported his stand against NEC and if party didn't reform then it would die in 18 months. Farage later gives a more qualified support

-Fury in Lords as Archbishop Welby slurs the name of the late Archbishop Bell

-Fox takeover of Sky blocked on competition grounds

-A sense Boris was going to push for NHS money at cabinet at £100 million. By sense I mean Boris leaking all around to media that he is going to do this. Hammond in Brussels remarks Boris is the foreign secretary and there is mixed reaction, there is a feeling Boris is touching on something key but pre-breifing about cabinet is extremely bad form. It came clear quickly May and the cabinet gave Boris quite a stern talking to for breaching cabinet privacy while he didn't make a stand or push his points as quickly clear he had angered the cabinet.

-Equalities and Human Rights Commission looking into whether Labour offering discount tickets to BME people breaks the law after complaints by Bridgen.

-Hammond warns Brexit uncertainty is hampering economy and sooner they can get to certainty, the better

-Hancock calls loneliness one of the most pressing issues of our time

-George Freeman says Boris language about Obama and those of African descent is not racist. It is racist and he should be condemned.

-Hunt wants transition deal may not be finalized at end of March, favours close regulatory aliment as long as we don't have to change laws to fit with EU ones, like all heath secretary's he wants more money but one would have to ask Boris where that extra money would come from

-Gavin Willamson manages to extract that national security council will hold their own defence review

-Lord Lawson accuses Whitehall of trying to frustrate Brexit as they feel uneasy about radical change so such things require strong leadership, sir Heywood made rare pubic statement to say Whitehall's job is to support the mandate of the government of the day

-Soubry calls for Boris to go, warning if he stays then he will bring down government, Nick Timothy accuses Boris of disloyalty

-Ed Vaizey warns against safety first attitude from PM

-Labour may not be pleased Jackie Walker trying to press her way back into party

-Alan Milburn says government and Whitehall got distracted from social mobility by Brexit

“You, are a rebellious son who abandoned his father. You are a cruel brigand who murdered his lord. How can Heaven and Earth put up with you for long? And unless you die soon, how can you face the sight of men?”

PMQ's Corbyn asks if she agrees with Boris about NHS needing more money, May says budget gave more money but Corbyn goes into money is less generous then it sounds then goes onto A&E doctors letter and who will public believe. May defends winter preparation with a decent technical answer but doesn't really answer A&E letters, Corbyn goes on NHS trusts wanting more money and worst A&E record while stiastics authorities warn such figures were fiddled so asks when proper figures will be released, May says they put out a lot of figures and keep giving more money then goes onto NHS Wales. Corbyn says Welsh NHS is underfunded by England and Welsh Labour keeps increasing NHS budget but ignores the failings there, Corbyn pushes on NHS ambulance waits, May says all Corbyn ever wants is more money but has no interest in why hospital waiting times vary so badly but rather build on that but instead runs onto Labour manifesto with IFS saying "not much to choose between them". Corbyn doesn't have an answer to IFS and goes onto general rant about evil of Tories before going onto whistle-blower on deaths and will it be investigated, May sets out what investigations will happen and commitment to NHS. Corbyn goes onto another tale of A&E with NHS needing money, May is in denial about state of NHS. May attacks NHS Wales being cut and defends general record.

Corbyn doesn't tend to have punch but he had good questions that May didn't seem to know how to answer and had some decent comebacks, she gave one or two decent general technical answers about winter crises but blatantly didn't have answers and felt she took quite a defeat. Blackford goes on RBS closures again and urges May, as majority shareholder, to intervene, she points to past answers of a commercial decision and steps taken, Blackford says changes breach equality act as makes it harder for disabled, May points out other banks ar closinge while she points out Scotland's biggest export market is UK.

=======

-Downing Street statement on who is at May's Burns Night dinner misspells five names (3 of them her own MP's), ‘Scottish Whisky Association’ becomes ‘Scotch Whisky Association’ and doesn't say who addressed the haggis

-Government setting up a unit to counter fake news. I'm sceptical given government can't even convince people of actual news but President Macron requested it

-Policing minister Nick Hurd indicates government willing to be under ECJ during transition

-David Davies admits he is no longer claiming trade deals can be done in two years, well crafted trade deals could up growth by 40% but disowns his former article saying we should stay in customs union, issues will be dealt with before we go into transition and substance of trade deal in place by then as otherwise EU will spin it out, Brexit red lines won't apply during transition and hints he expects to stay in single market/customs union but expects deal for that before end of March, EU draft demands for transition are an opening bid. EU getting a better idea of how much ECJ issue matters to UK, learnt as a company director not to promise money to go out before you actually had it (in reference to Boris), suspects EU are holding further concessions on British nationals as a bargaining chip, EU people won't be deported from UK, inadvertently calls his aide Stewart Jackson an idiot when saying only an idiot goes into talks with red lines, no deal Brexit highly improbable.

Note: Opening your committee hearing with two counts of "ignore what I said earlier" does not seem good for credibility

-Hilary Benn notes hearings with Davies would be shorter if he came more often

-Labour's NEC intervenes in long running Haringey row and asks councillors to drop the housing scheme that has caused such protest

-Rees-Mogg says transition phase preposed by Davies would make UK a vassal state and as chair of the Brexiteer backbenchers, this has raised a flag for potential problem

-MP's block Sir Ian Kennedy from going to Electoral Commission, his time in charge of their expenses is still not forgiven

-England opt out of Pisa global competence test but Scotland will take it

-Sturgeon in furious row with Iain Dale, Telegraph and Scottish Daily over claims she has banned all Scottish government buildings from flying the union jack, save for Remembrance Day and armed forces day. She says the use of the lion rampant instead of union jack was taken eight years ago ie before she had any say (civil service website only just updated guidelines), Salmond says he got permission from the Queen.

-Employment rises to record high of 32.2 million and wages grow to 2.4%

-Education minister Nadhim Zahawi was at Presidents Club annual charity fundraiser that seems to have descended into sexual harassment, the allegations are that he failed to report it till after Finical Times splashed on it, has said he felt uneasy and left quickly but will never go to a men's only event ever again. He could be in big trouble while the club has been closed

-IFS says Brexit dividend for NHS doesn't exist but we owe NHS staff an extra billion to make up for higher prices resulting from Brexit

-Amidst reports of having a hitlist of 50 MP's, Momentum promises not to campaign nationally to deselect MP's

====

-Mark Pritchard backs Boris on NHS

-Westminster Council rejects Thatcher statue opposite parliament

-Ben Bradley repeats his apology, says he was an immature student but is concerned at the death threats and journalists harassing his grandparents.

-Andrew Neill very effective on Labour's plan on pay

-Cameron at Davos says Brexit is a mistake rather then a disaster. Farage says "busted" though as others have said, warning investors at Davos we are facing disaster might not have been a great idea

“You, are a rebellious son who abandoned his father. You are a cruel brigand who murdered his lord. How can Heaven and Earth put up with you for long? And unless you die soon, how can you face the sight of men?”

-Sheer rage in Commons over the Presidents Club scandal. Zahwai summoned by chief whip but not expected to be fired

-Tracey Crouch doesn't seem overly impressed that the FA appointed as female manager a man with no experience as manager (bar one caretaker game at non-league level) or any time in the female game. The sexist tweets may not have helped.

-May says UK wishes to lead way in developing AI in a safe and ethical way, AI and changes it will bring will be a great test of leadership while her appeal during PMQ's for women to take smear tests has been well noted. Says we need to look at regulating cryptocurrency's

-Tessa Jowell's speeches about her brain cancer getting noted, given ovation in Lords

-Hammond says we must embrace rather then fight AI but it will be disruptive so that will have to be managed, very happy with strength of sterling, Brexit deal that covered trade but not services wouldn't be fair to UK, wants

-Poland PM Mateusz Morawiecki says we will have to pay for special aces to single market and expects a tough attitude towards comprehensive free trade deal, Dr Fox says this is an opening shot in negotiation and both sides will compromise.

-McDonnell warns those at Davos are insulated from the problems in the system

-Mortgage approvals by Britain’s banks fell to their lowest level since April 2013 in December, rough sleeping at highest levels in a decade after 15% rise over the year

-Labour holding NHS rally

-Ex-Carillion heads to be summoned by Business and Work and Pensions joint committee

-Varadkar wants a Norway+ for UK

-Trump says UK and USA joined at t the hip militarily and close on many matters, there will be tremendous trade boost between the two countries

-Williamson says armed forces need more money

-Rumours Sir Brady is asking MP's not to send letters calling for leadership contest and that they are close to trigger point, a bad local election results could trigger it

-Confirmed Trump will visit this year

-Eu transition terms leaked out, comes across as very hardline aka in single market and customs union but not taking part in discussions about rules

-Rees-Mogg says better to extend article 50 then go into transition phase proposed as we would then still have say, government tone needs to change as it feels like damage limitation on Brexit rather then embracing opportunities, customs union is a protectionist racket that harms UK. He also warns his faction (head of a 60 MP grouping, nobody knows how much he actually commands when pushed comes to shove) is looking closely (aka may rebel) on a Treasury bill that gives government Henry VIII powers to enter custom agreement with fears it could put them back into a potential customs union.

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-Apparently there is a children's charity called Momentum. The rise of the political grouping has not been helpful for them

-Apparently Dennis Skinner and Angus MacNeil got into a row during PMQ's that distracted the chamber

-Brexiteers welcome Cameron's conversion (he still calls it a mistake)

“You, are a rebellious son who abandoned his father. You are a cruel brigand who murdered his lord. How can Heaven and Earth put up with you for long? And unless you die soon, how can you face the sight of men?”

-Labour sack Lord Mendelsohn (for a second, I thought I saw headline "Labour sack Lord Mandelson") from being trade spokesperson for attending the Presidents Club party as representative of a charity. Fairy play to Labour for taking a stand on this

-Labour opposing Sara Khan's appointment

-Craig Mackinlay has pleaded not guilty to charges relating to his 2015 General Election expenses

-Carney says UK economy might match world economy once there is Brexit certainty

-Andrew Percy tells Hammond to put a sock in it and stop writing Brexit policy on hoof, Jenkins says it helps if ministers stick to script and suggests another reshuffle, Connor Burns rather more clever "I fully support Govt's policy as set out by PM at Lancaster House and Florence. We are leaving the Single Market and Customs Union, controlling our borders, ending huge payments to EU and doing our own trade deals. Not sure why some don't seem able to grasp the policy."

“You, are a rebellious son who abandoned his father. You are a cruel brigand who murdered his lord. How can Heaven and Earth put up with you for long? And unless you die soon, how can you face the sight of men?”